May I
by If Dreams Were Wishes
Summary: A collection of A/P oneshots based on quotes from the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday. Final oneshot: May I Hold You
1. Where the Lights Start to Fade

**Hello again everyone! I've been busy the last month or so, but now I'm back and ready to write!**

**"May I" will be much like my other oneshot collections I have based on songs. The oneshots will be posted in order with the lyrics. These stories are not related to each other, and their may be times jumps between them (just to warn you). Also, this collection is souly dedicated to Aerrow and Piper!**

**I have half the oneshots for this collection writen (though not necessarily the ones that will come first), and all the oneshots planned out, so I will hopefully be posting one every few days. If you guys are nice and leave reviews, I'll post the next oneshot tomorrow (it was the first one I wrote, so it's all ready to go!)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday (though, I encourage everyone to listen to it, it's a great song).  
**

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Where the Lights Start to Fade

"_There you stand, opened heart – opened doors –_

_Full of life with the world that's wanting more._

_But I can see where the lights start to fade,_

_The day is done and your smile has gone away._

_Let me raise you up._

_Let me be your love."_

"We won the battle. Now it's time to win the war!" Aerrow called to his fellow Atmosians as he raised his blazing blade high, cheers rose from those surrounding the Condor, "We fly on, to Cyclonia!"

With that order, all hands scrambled to prepare for the next stage of the battle. Squadrons had to regroup, repairs made, and weapons stores raided. As the combatants returned to their airships, only two figures were left standing on the Condor's balcony, silhouetted by the setting sun.

Piper leaned against the window behind her, watching as Aerrow deactivated his weapon and returned it to its place against his back. The sky knight gazed around, a confident smirk upon his face, as he watched his army go about their preparations.

After Aerrow's eyes did a sweep of the now deserted vicinity, he let out a quiet sigh, his face falling into a troubled frown. Leaning his arms against the railing, Aerrow gazed downward, his features hard and strained, in thought.

Piper was slightly taken aback. This was not a side of Aerrow she was used to seeing. The sky knight was always bright and happy, the most optimistic person she had ever met. Seeing him look so sad and vulnerable unnerved the crystal mage.

Piper crossed the few steps that were between her and the red headed sky knight, reaching out to lay a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Aerrow?"

He jumped at the contact, turning quickly, a light blush of embarrassment was spread across his features. He had the look of a little boy being caught doing something he shouldn't. Upon seeing Piper's large, golden eyes staring at him worriedly, Aerrow's stiff body slackened and he gave her a warm smile.

"Oh, Piper, it's only you." he sounded oddly relieved.

"What's _**that**_ supposed to mean?" Piper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just— " Aerrow paused, trying to find the right words, "I thought you might be one of the guys, or Starling, or...."

Aerrow's voice trailed off. Letting another sigh escape his lips, the sky knight returned to his spot against the railing. Piper joined him, their elbows lightly touching as they rested upon the cool metal.

"Why would that matter?" Piper prodded, wanting to know the reason behind her squadron leader's odd behaviour.

Aerrow furrowed his brows in thought, and Piper could see that he was still trying to piece together all that was going on behind those emerald eyes.

"Well," Aerrow started, turning to meet Piper's gaze, "I'm supposed to lead the Atmos to defeat Cyclonia once and for all. I'm supposed to be confident, sure of our victory. No one should see me being doubtful, it could ruin everyone's morale and lose us the battle."

"And you're not worried about me seeing you like this?" Piper asked.

"No." there was no waver in Aerrow's voice now, and he gave Piper a genuine smile, "It's... different, with you."

Piper smiled back at the sky knight as a comfortable silence came between them. She was happy to be the one Aerrow felt comfortable to confide in. However, her face soon fell. She still hadn't found the cause of Aerrow's uncharacteristic behaviour.

"What are you doubtful about?" Piper asked, breaking the silence.

Aerrow looked to the setting sun. Reds, pinks and oranges shone across the sky, painting clouds and ships alike. Aerrow suddenly looked weary, his green eyes sparkling with a deep knowing beyond his years. Her worry increasing, Piper reached out a hand and intertwined her fingers in Aerrow's, hoping it would bring the sky knight some comfort and encouragement.

Aerrow's fingers tightened around Piper's as he turned his head towards her, "Remember when I told you guys what happened to me, after the Condor was destroyed and we split up?"

"Yeah." Piper smiled at the memory, her eyes sparkling with laughter, "Snipe chased you and Radarr, and the big dimwit blew up his own ship!"

Aerrow gave Piper a brief smile, but his features soon turned serious, "Well, I didn't tell you everything that happened to me."

"What happened?" Piper's eyes widened, "Did you get hurt? Are you hiding an injury from us? Did—"

"No, Piper. Nothing like that." Aerrow assured, giving her hand a comforting squeeze, "I'm _**fine**_." he added, seeing the crystal mage's sceptical look.

"Then, what happened?" Piper's voice held an edge of impatience.

"I met up with the guardians." Aerrow answered, "They told me that 'the moment of my destiny is coming' and it would be 'a conflict that will involve all the Atmos.' Or, something like that."

"So _**this**_ battle...?" Piper began.

"Has something to do with my 'destiny.'" Aerrow finished, sighing.

"Well then, what are you worrying about?" Piper questioned, "It's your destiny to free the Atmos, isn't it? So, it's also your destiny to win this battle."

"Yeah, but what if the prophecy is wrong?" Aerrow asked, "What if I mess up? What if I make a wrong decision? What if something happens and..." Aerrow's voice was almost a whisper now, "...I don't come back?"

"What makes you think that?" Piper asked, trying to hide her own uncertainty behind a playful smile, "You always make it back! Nothing can bring _**you**_ down."

"It's just, the guardians said...." Aerrow's voice faded away once again, as he averted his eyes.

"What?" Piper asked, unable to keep the worry from her voice.

"Uh, it's nothing." Aerrow said, a bit too quickly.

"Aerrow." Piper chastised.

"Really, Piper. It's nothing." Aerrow said with a finality that told the crystal mage she would not be getting anything else out of the sky knight.

"Fine." Piper grumbled, pouting comically in an attempt to cheer her friend up.

When Aerrow's face didn't brighten, Piper let out her own sigh. Releasing his hand, she placed an arm around his shoulders in a comforting gesture.

"For what it's worth, I think you're a great leader, one who can free the Atmos once and for all." Piper whispered in Aerrow's ear, before giving him a quick peck on the check.

Piper smiled at the shocked expression on the sky knight's face as she turned to leave. She had only taken a few steps when her progress was ceased by a hand that wrapped its way, gently, around her wrist.

Piper smiled, knowing full well who had stopped her. Turning, she found Aerrow an arm's length away. She couldn't make out the sky knight's expression, for he had his head hung low and his spiky bangs set a dark shadow over his features.

It was Piper's turn to be shocked, as Aerrow suddenly pulled her to his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her petit frame. Piper was surprised at how tightly he clung to her, as if he would never be able to do so again.

Leaning his head against her shoulder, Aerrow whispered two simple words, "Thank you."

Just as suddenly as he had brought her to him, Aerrow released Piper from his embrace. They just stood there, Aerrow with his head still down, and Piper slightly stiff in shock, still trying to comprehend what had happened.

After a few moments, Aerrow lifted his head, a bright, confident smile once again gracing his features.

"Come on, Piper!" Aerrow said, grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the door, "We've got the Atmos to free!"

Piper's first impulse was to stopped dead in her tracks. This sudden change back to the normal Aerrow was even more unnerving then when she'd seen the defeated looking Aerrow. However, the crystal mage allowed herself to be lead by the sky knight, for something deep inside her told her that he would be okay.

Somehow she knew that everything would turn out okay.

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**Well, that's the first oneshot. Not too long, but not too short either.**

**I found that the guardians' warning of the "Atmos without Aerrow" after the battle was just brought up and then left in the show. So, I thought I'd dive into it a bit myself! I'm not sure how it came across.... I'm not totally pleased with the ending...**

**Well, tell me what you think! I love reviews just as much as the next writer!**

**Thanks for reading!  
**


	2. When the World is Closing In

**Wow! Six reviews already! Thanks everyone! It really encourages me to keep writing and get these up quicker!**

**Warning: There is some violence depicted in this oneshot.**

**Note: The page breaks represent the beginning and end of a flashback.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday.  
**

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When the World is Closing In

"_May I hold you as you fall to sleep._

_When the world is closing in and you can't breath,_

_May I love you._

_May I be your shield._

_When no one can be found, may I lay you down."_

Piper sat dishevelled, her hair a mess and her cloths in ruin. Streaks of dried tears made paths through the dirt and grime that caked her face. She no longer felt the hard, cold metal of the cell wall she leaned against. Her eyes had a glazed, far-off look, her fingers absentmindedly running through the red spikes of Aerrow's hair.

The sky knight lay broken and bleeding, his head pillowed on Piper's lap. His skin was even paler then usual, having a sickly, pasty appearance. Aerrow's breathing was slow and laboured, emitting coughs and wheezes every few moments.

The hand Piper wasn't using to stroke Aerrow's head was placed over his heart, holding tightly to one of his own hands. Feeling the steady - but slow - beat of Aerrow's heart against her hand and her arm rising and falling with his breathing gave Piper the only small comfort she could find.

"Piper?" Aerrow rasped as he came into consciousness, groaning as he tried to move and hissing with the pain that came from it.

The call of her name brought Piper back from the far reaches of her mind, and her eyes came into focus as she gazed down at the severely injured sky knight. She removed her hand from his hair, letting her fingers fall and allowing them to graze Aerrow's skin until they came to cup his cheek, her thumb moving in gentle circles in a comforting gesture.

Slowly, Aerrow opened his tired eyes and gazed around the small room. The moon light shone in from the barred window, reflecting in Aerrow's emerald eyes. Piper felt her breath catch in her throat, and she tried her best to hold back a sob. Aerrow's usually bright, lively eyes were dulled, and held great pain and suffering in their green depths.

"Radarr?" Aerrow chocked out the question, "The others?"

"They're fine." Piper lied, turning to hide her tears.

The Storm Hawks had been surrounded, with nowhere to run. They'd had no other choice but to fight the uncountable numbers of Talons that Master Cyclonis had sent after them.

* * *

Piper blasted another Talon from his skimmer with her crystal staff. She smirked as she watched the Talon's parachute deploy, admiring her handiwork.

Looking up, Piper spotted Aerrow on the Dark Ace's skimmer, in a fierce battle with the Talon Commander. Piper could see Aerrow was beginning to tire. Between the relentless attacks from the Dark Ace and having to block the multiple energy blasts the Talons were firing at him from all angles, the sky knight had no relief. Aerrow was favouring one arm and blood was dripping from his many flesh wounds.

Radarr had also noticed Aerrow's fatigue. The furry copilot flew Aerrow's skimmer towards the fight, so Aerrow could jump down for a break. However, the Talons noticed this manoeuver and sent a multitude of shots towards the little blue creature.

"Radarr, look out!" Piper shouted in warning, but it was too late.

Blasts hit the skimmer and copilot from every direction, there was no hope of avoiding such an onslaught. Piper let out a sob, knowing nothing could survive such a brutal assault.

As the bright flashes ended, the battered machine - the crumbled body of Radarr strewn on the seat - fell towards the wastelands.

"Radarr!" Aerrow let out a desperate cry, turning to jump after his best friend.

The Dark Ace smirked evilly. Taking advantage of the distraction, he sent a bolt from his blade at the sky knight's back. The fiery red ball of energy hit Aerrow before he even had time to deploy his wings.

"Aerrow!" Piper screamed, racing towards his falling body on her heliscooter.

Piper was able to catch hold of Aerrow's hand, but he was limp and heavy, and she soon felt her grip slipping. Taking her other hand off the controls, Piper reached down and pulled the injured sky knight up by the torso, setting him in her lap. Bringing two finger to Aerrow's neck, Piper let out a relieved sigh when she felt a pulse.

"Let's get you back to the Condor." Piper said, affectionately brushing Aerrow's tangled bangs from his closed eyes.

"I don't think so." came the taunting voice of the Dark Ace.

Piper looked up to find herself surrounded by the Talon Commander and his cronies. She instinctively reached for her staff, but it was shot from her outstretched hand.

"Try anything else, and I aim to kill." the Dark Ace warned, pointing his lit blade at the helpless pair for emphasis.

Piper's eyes darted every which way, trying to find some means of escape, but every path was blocked. She tightened her grip on Aerrow, pulling his unconscious form further into her chest, protectively.

"It'll be okay," Piper whispered, mostly to assure herself, "Stork will get the Condor over here soon and plow through these dimwits. We just have to be patient."

"If you're waiting for your airship to save you," the Dark Ace seemed to read her mind, "then you'll be sorely disappointed."

As if on cue, Piper heard the Condor's horn sound from behind her. Turning, she gasped at the sight of their airship home, smoking and falling through the surrounding clouds, towards the lava pitted wastelands below. Three Talon battle cruisers continued to shoot at the ill fated ship as it sank lower and lower.

"Stork!" Piper gave a worried cry for her friend, knowing the merb would never leave his beloved Condor, even if it meant crashing to his death.

"Let them go!" Piper's head snapped in the direction of Finn's voice to see the sharpshooter and Junko racing towards them.

"Finn! Junko! Get out of here!" Piper called, knowing there was no way she and Aerrow would be able to escape. At least two of the Storm Hawks could get out this mess alive.

However, the pair ignored Piper's warning. Their eyes blazed with an anger and determination Piper had never seen before in her two friends.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to our friends!" Finn growled, shooting into the Cyclonian ranks like a madman.

All - including Piper - ducked in an attempt to avoid the assault, but it was mostly futile. Piper only lifted her head upon hearing Ravess' agitated words, "Take _**this**_, you little brat!"

Piper saw the arrow fly as if in slow motion, as it whizzed through the air. Finn, flaming eyes focussed fully on the Talon ranks he was shooting into, didn't even see it coming. The projectile pierced Finn square in the heart, the force of the hit knocking him backwards, off his skimmer. Finn, his eyes frozen wide in deathly shock, turned and flipped as gravity dragged his limp body downward.

"No!" Piper cried.

"Finn!" Junko roared as his watched his best friend fall.

Turning back to the Talons in a rage, the wallop sped towards the pack of enemies. Junko was able to strike a good number of Talons from their skimmers before he, too, was knocked off.

Piper let a small sigh of relief escape her lips as Junko's parachute deployed. At least one of her friends would get out of here alive. But her moment of hope was short-lived, shattered as Snipe, grinning manically, threw his mace at Junko's flotation device, cutting a large hole in the fabric. The wallop fell like a rock, his blood chilling screams rang through Piper's entire being.

Piper covered her mouth with her hand as sobs racked her body. She shock her head in disbelief, unwilling to allow herself acknowledge the fact that her friends were gone. As the surrounding captors laughed at the distraught girl, she buried her face in Aerrow's chest, rocking back and forth on her heliscooter's seat, the sky knight's unconscious form still held tightly in her arms.

* * *

Piper had not let go of Aerrow since. The guards had tried to extract the sky knight from her death grip to put them in separate holding cells on the Cyclonian battle cruiser, but soon gave up and threw the pair in same cell.

"The boy'll be dead come mornin' anyway." one had commented.

Piper did her best to force the Talon's words to the back of her mind.

"You're lying."

Piper was brought out of her nightmarish memories by Aerrow's quiet voice, he was struggling to get his words out. She looked down at him questioningly with tearful eyes. His emerald orbs were more focussed now, more alert, but still full of pain. Piper had a feeling it was no longer caused by his wounds.

"I remember some things." Aerrow answered Piper's unasked question, "You were crying for everyone... and I remember Radarr..."

Aerrow chocked back a sob after his final words, blinking back the tears in his eyes. Even in this state, he was trying to be brave for her.

"They're all gone." Piper finally let herself admit the truth, fresh tears streaming down her face, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

With all the strength he could muster, Aerrow reached up and laid a gentle hand against the back of Piper's neck, guiding her down until their foreheads touched. Piper did her best to ignore the heat that was being emitted from Aerrow's skin - heat only a drastically high fever could cause - as her tears dripped onto his face, joining the small river of salty liquid now flowing from the sky knight's eyes.

Aerrow took one long, stuttering breath, "I'm so sorry Piper, for everything I've put you through."

"Aerrow..." Piper's voice cracked with emotion, she didn't know what to say.

"You had to watch the others fall," Aerrow continued quietly, his voice gentle, but full of sorrow and regret, "And you couldn't help them because you were protecting me. _**I'm**_ supposed to be the one protecting _**you**_. I should be the one whose... whose...."

Aerrow was unable to say the word. Silent tears continued to stream down his face.

"Don't even _**think**_ that." Piper's hand tightened around Aerrow's, balling up the fabric against his chest. She shut her eyes, shaking in anger.

After a moment, Piper's body laxed. Her thumb, which had stopped circling Aerrow's check when he had started to speck, once again began to make its way across his skin, smearing tears as it went.

"There's nothing for you apologize for." Piper confirmed.

"Piper." Aerrow begged, and she opened her eyes, hearing the plead in his voice.

As orange locked with green, a million emotions passed through their teary gazes. Aerrow let his hand slide from Piper's neck to lay against her check. Whipping away her tears, a sad smile graced his features.

Slowly, Aerrow pulled Piper towards him and their lips met in a quick, but loving kiss.

"I love you, Piper." Aerrow said, close enough for the girl to feel his lips graze hers as he spoke.

A small smile on his face, Aerrow closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall back onto Piper's lap.

"I love you too, Aerrow." Piper said softly, stroking his head once more.

Aerrow let out a content sigh, turning towards Piper's touch. His features softened, a peaceful smile slowly forming.

Then, Aerrow went still.

"Aerrow?" Piper whispered, still playing with his red locks.

The sky knight did not answer.

"Aerrow?" Piper gave him a gentle shake.

Her arm was no longer rising and falling with his breathing. His hand no longer put any pressure on her clasped fingers. She could no longer feel the beat of his heart against her hand.

"Aerrow!?" Piper cried, fresh tears forming in her golden eyes.

She shook him harder now, frantic for a response that she would never receive.

"Aerrow, please! Don't leave me." she pleaded, "Don't leave me here alone!"

Holding Aerrow's wilted body close, Piper broke down and wept bitterly.

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**Well, that's oneshot number two!**

**I have to admit, I've very happy with how this oneshot turned out. It was the first one to come to my head when I heard this song, and I worked really hard on it. I think this one is up to the quality of my "Saints and Angels" fic. What do you guys think? Review and tell me!**

**I'm hoping to have the next oneshot writen, edited and posted before the weekend! Wish me luck ;)**

**Thanks for reading!  
**


	3. Give You All That Your Heart Needs

**Hello everyone! Wow, you guys are really spoiling me with all these reviews! (Not that I mind! Keep them coming. Who doesn't like to be spoiled?)**

**Greatest oneshot Storm Hawks writer? Wow GatomonFan7, you're giving me a lot to live up to here! I'll do my best!**

**And to my every faithful reader/reviewer WhispertheWolf: I didn't write the last oneshot to make you cry! But, as anyone who reads my stuff would know, I can only go so long without killing someone.... Though I must admit, I think that last one was even a record for me....**

**Well, I didn't think I could top practically killing off the entire Storm Hawks squadron in 2000 words, so I went in a different direction for this oneshot. It turned out nothing like I'd originally planned. But, I like the light and humerous tone is a little break from the intensity of my last two oneshots. Oh, and this could almost be seen as a friendship story, for those who aren't so fond of romance (this ones going out to you WhispertheWolf ;D )**

**Disclaimer: Let me check.... ah, nope! Still don't own the Storm Hawks or the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday.... I'll have to work on that....  
**

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Give You All That Your Heart Needs

"_All I want is to keep you safe from the cold,_

_To give you all that your heart needs the most._

_Let me raise you up._

_Let me be your love."_

"See ya later, Aerrow!" Finn called from his skimmer, Radarr waving from his seat behind the sharpshooter.

"You sure you're not coming?" Junko asked through the large wad of bubblegum he was chawing on.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Aerrow gave the thoughtful wallop a friendly smile. "Anyway, someone has to look after the Condor while you're all gone."

"Um, about that." Stork said, handing Aerrow three big, heavy books whose weight nearly knocked the sky knight to the ground, "These are the Condor's manual, _Flying Airships for Dummies_, and - my personal favourite - _1001 Airship Problems That Can Lead to Sudden Doom_. They should keep you out of any _**serious**_ danger until I get back... unless the ship gets infested by mindworms, then their's no help for you."

"Uh... thanks?" was the only reply Aerrow could think of.

When the merb turned, the sky knight dropped the books on the floor with a resounding _thud. _Stork whipped around to find the red head with an innocent smile on his face. With a twitch, the merb continued on to his Stork-Mobile, mumbling something about his imminent doom.

With a final wave, the four Storm Hawks took off, the three vehicles heading in different directions. Aerrow watched his friends until they were mere specks on the horizon.

Chuckling to himself, Aerrow left the hanger, heading for the bridge. From what his fellow squadron members had told him about their planned pranks, Cyclonis was in for a few surprises.

The bridge door emitted Aerrow with its usual mechanical _swoosh._ The sky knight did a quick scan to make sure everything was in working order, but he wasn't too worried. Even Stork had to admit that the newly rebuilt Condor was in tip-top shape, and the autopilot had been given state-of-the-art upgrades.

Turning, Aerrow saw the round table was still strewn with countless maps that Piper had used to help the others plan the safest routes to their prank destinations. The sky knight smirked when his eyes fell upon the crystal mage, slumped over in her chair, fast asleep.

Aerrow's smile vanished as Piper began to cough in her slumber. He frowned at the pale, green, pasty look of her skin, and the darkening bags under her eyes. Piper was getting worse and worse everyday. He was really worried about her. Of course, Piper would hear none of this. She'd brushed off his questioning earlier, saying they should be worried about the Cyclonians.

Aerrow played with the idea of leaving the crystal mage to sleep, but her scrunched position would probably lead to some nasty aches when she awoke. So, the sky knight quietly made his way over to the sleeping girl and gave her shoulder a gentle shake.

"Piper?" he whispered, not wanting to startle her.

"Wha...?" Piper opened her eyes groggily.

"Sorry to wake you Piper," Aerrow apologized, "But I thought you might be more comfortable taking a nap in your own bed."

"Aerrow?" Piper asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes, "What are you doing here? Why didn't you go with the others?"

"Well, _**someone**_ had to look after the Condor." Aerrow gave Piper his trademark smirk.

"But, I said _**I**_ would do that." Piper grumbled.

"Not asleep, you won't!" Aerrow laughed at Piper's pouting face.

"I didn't _**mean**_ to fall asleep." Piper continued to grumble, a hint of anger in her tone, "Anyway, I've got stuff to do."

With that, Piper stood and began to collect the maps that covered the table before her. However, she was halted by Aerrow's hand on her shoulder, which forced the crystal mage back into her seat. Crossing her arms, Piper glared up at Aerrow, who had situated himself in front on her, leaning against the table.

"The only thing _**your**_ doing, is sleeping." Aerrow ordered, glaring back at the girl.

They stayed like that. The girl sitting in chair and the boy standing over her, exchanging icy stares. Both determined not to give in to the other. After what seemed like hours, Piper gave a defeated sigh and lowered her eyes.

"I don't need to sleep." Piper said, unwilling to look into the sky knight's worried emerald eyes, "I'm _**fine**_, Aerr—" She was unable to finish, as a coughing fit came over her.

"Piper." Aerrow's voice was laced with concern as he knelt down beside the crystal mage, rubbing gentle circles across her back until her coughing subsided, "You don't seem fine to _**me**_."

Piper stood abruptly, shaking off Aerrow's comforting hands. Her back was to him, but Aerrow could see her hands tighten into fists and shake in anger.

"I'm _**fine**_!" Piper shouted, turning so the sky knight could see the hot, angry tears running down her checks, "There's _**nothing**_ wrong with me."

Aerrow quickly got to his feet, ready to counteract Piper's words with his own argument. But before he could even open his mouth, Piper began to sway back and forth. Her brows furrowed in pain as she brought a hand to her forehead. Suddenly, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell forward.

Aerrow caught Piper's limp form, her head landing softly against his chest. Carefully, he brought the crystal mage back to the table, setting her down, once again, in her chair. Piper groaned as she came too.

"I'm okay. Just got a little dizzy, that's all." she mumbled in a weak attempt to reassure the frightened looking sky knight.

"How many times do I have to tell you you're _**not**_ okay before you finally believe me?" Aerrow asked, exasperated.

"A few more times should do it." Piper joked, but sighed when Aerrow's stern expression didn't waver and averted her eyes.

Piper straightened herself in the chair, feeling a little uncomfortable under the intense gaze to the boy who knelt before her. Letting another sigh escape her lips, Piper lay a gentle hand on Aerrow's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for getting angry." she apologized, her eyes finally rising to meet Aerrow's, "I'm just feeling so frustrated."

"Why?" it was a simple question, but Piper didn't have a simple answer.

"Because, you guys are all worried about me, but there's no point."

"_**No point!?**_" Aerrow was getting frustrated himself, "So, there's no point in worrying about our friend?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Piper tried to explain, "It's just.... why worry about something that you can't fix? Like I said before, we should be worrying about the Cyclonians. At least we know what we can do to fix _**that**_ problem."

"You're wrong." Aerrow said.

"What?" it was Piper's turn to be confused.

"That there's nothing I can do." Aerrow answered.

Piper let out a shriek she was lifted from her chair unexpectedly by the sky knight. Holding the protesting Piper bridal-style, Aerrow left the bridge and began to make his way down the hall.

"Aerrow, what are you doing?" Piper asked, a light blush of embarrassment spreading across her face.

"Doing something to fix _**your**_ problem." he answered, as the door to Piper's bedroom opened automatically.

Crossing the distance between the door and the bed in a couple of strides, Aerrow dropped Piper unceremoniously onto her matrass. She tumbled backwards onto her pillow as the sky night tugged the covers from underneath her and then pulled them up to her chin.

"Aerrow." Piper moaned in protest as he continued to tuck her in so tightly that she could barely move, "Sleeping is not going to help."

"How would you know?" Aerrow asked, smirking at Piper's surprised look, "What? You don't think I hear you pacing back and forth in here at all hours of the night?"

Another blush spread across Piper's face at the realization that Aerrow had been keeping a closer eye on her than she had thought.

When Aerrow had finished securing Piper to her bed, he pulled over the chair that stood by the crystal mage's desk. Sitting down, he slouched back comfortably and crossed his arms, looking at Piper intently.

Piper groaned, "You're not actually going to stay there until I fall asleep, are you?"

"You bet I am." Aerrow flashed a cocky grin, "After I'm sure you've actually gotten some sleep, and _**still**_ haven't gotten any better, then I'll leave you along and focus on defeating Cyclonis."

When Piper continued to lay glaring at him, Aerrow's smirk faded and his eyes met hers pleadingly, "Please, Piper. Just give it a try. For me?"

"Fine." Piper replied, trying to hold back a yawn as the warmth and comfort of her bed lulled her to sleep.

Aerrow smiled contently as her watched Piper's breathing become slow and even. Satisfied that she was asleep, he stood. Carefully leaning over the crystal mage, Aerrow lowered his head so he hovered only inches above her.

"Sweet dreams." Aerrow whispered, his lips brushing gently against her temple.

Turning to leave, Aerrow missed the small, peaceful smile that spread across Piper's features.

* * *

**And there you have it: oneshot #3!**

**I'm not sure if you guys noticed this, but I did right away: Aerrow and Piper didn't help with any of the pranks the Storm Hawks played on the Talons in episode 52. I wondered where they were and what they were doing, and that's how this oneshot came into being!  
**

**I have to say, this one was fun to write! I was in a good mood yesterday when I sat down to write this, and I guess it shows ;) I don't write Stork a lot, so I hope his little bit a the beginning was okay, and that the others were all in character.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews! I've already writen the next oneshot, so it should be up in the next day or so!  
**


	4. May I Be Your Shield

**Hello again, everyone!**

**Sorry for the disappearing act I performed over the past few weeks. I know I said that the next oneshot would be up quickly, but I made a mistake in the order of the lyrics (which is also the order I'm posting these oneshots). I forgot that I hadn't posted a fic for the chorus before the bridge... and this was the only oneshot that I wasn't quite sure of. I had one idea for this fic, but I didn't like it and wanted to come up with something else. Then the good weather came and my friends got out of school/got home from university, so I've been spending time enjoying both their company and the warm temperatures. It has been raining the past two days, so I finally found some motivation to come back and work on this oneshot collection.**

**Now that the lengthly explanation is out of the way, I just want to thank all of my reviewers! I hope you like my latest creation!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday.**

**Note: **_Italics_** represent flashbacks.**

* * *

May I Be Your Shield

"_May I hold you as you fall to sleep._

_When the world is closing in and you can't breathe,_

_May I love you._

_May I be your shield._

_When no one can be found, may I lay you down."_

Aerrow and Piper occupied the sofa on the bridge of the brand-new Condor. Their squadron mates had retired to their rooms hours ago, exhausted from a day full of redesigns and arguments. The day's events of the pair remaining on the bridge had caused an opposite affect. Their minds were buzzing with all they had discovered. The time flew by as the sky knight and crystals specialist discussed Piper's newfound power and the possibilities of reclaiming the key from Master Cyclonis.

As the wee hours of the morning slipped away, Aerrow began to feel sleep weighing down on his eyelids. Stifling a yawn, he turned to the girl next to him to suggest they get some sleep and continue their discussion when they were both awake and thinking clearly. However, it appeared that Piper had beat him to this decision.

Piper's breathing was deep and even, her face lax in peaceful slumber. Aerrow hadn't even noticed the weight of his petit friend against his shoulder, where her head was now pillowed.

A small smile graced Aerrow's lips as he gazed down at the crystals specialist, finding himself unwilling to wake the tired girl. She had accomplished a lot that day, and deserved some rest more then anyone else.

_Aerrow turned his skimmer sharply, zooming back to find three Talons in pursuit of Piper. His face was set in determination, his steely gaze never leaving the enemy skimmers as he flew closer and closer._

_However, the sky knight didn't even get near enough to draw his blades before a blue energy appeared to pulsate from Piper's body. Mouth agape, Aerrow watched in amazement as the Talons were flung from their rides like rag dolls._

_Flying passed the three men that were now parachuting towards the wastelands below, Aerrow caught up with his friend, coming up to hover beside her. Piper's victorious smile was hard to miss._

"_Ah, Aerrow, do you need help?" she called lightheartedly._

"_Ah, no. I'm fine. Thanks." Aerrow replied, adverting his eyes momentarily in the hopes of hiding the surprise and sudden uneasiness he felt._

_Still beaming with pride, Piper replaced the crystals in her pouch and the pair flew on to the Forbidden City._

Aerrow had done his best to hide his surprise at his first glance of Piper's true power and potential, but he knew he had not done a good job. His awkward words had been a dead giveaway, especially to someone who knew him as well as Piper did.

It was just so... _**unexpected**_.

What he _**had **_expected was to fly back to Piper's defence - to knock the Talons out of the sky with one of his crazy stunts and be greeted by Piper's grateful smile. But with that blast of crystal energy, Piper had turned Aerrow's world upside down.

It wasn't that Aerrow felt angry or jealous or anything like that. It was just, he had always seen himself as Piper's protector, her shield... her knight in shining armour. Now, realizing that she had this great power, it made him feel empty, unneeded. Like life was a play and his role had been cut.

_Aerrow groaned softly as he came back into consciousness. Through his blurry vision, the sky knight could just make out the his nemesis looming over him, glowing an eery green and posed ready to crush him with a massive stone held effortlessly above his head._

"_Goodbye, Aerrow." the Dark Ace's menacing voice rang through Aerrow's fuzzy mind._

_The only thing the sky knight could do as the Talon commander threw the colossal rock towards him was lift an arm to cover his face and brace for impact._

_To Aerrow's surprise, it wasn't the stone's black surface that obscured his vision, but a blinding flash of blue light, as the fatal object was ripped from the Dark Ace's hands. Both males were momentarily stunned by the sudden change of events, their eyes wide in disbelief. Quickly recovering from their shock, sky knight and Talon turned to see Piper grinning triumphantly, holding a glowing crystal at arms length._

Piper didn't need him anymore. This was painfully obvious to Aerrow. Now, it was _**he**_ who needed _**her**_.

Without this power Piper had been able to give him, Aerrow knew that he wound never have beaten the Dark Ace that day.

_The tables were turned once again, as a bolt of red energy hit Piper from behind. She gave a shriek as she tumbled across the rocky floor. Aerrow felt a jolt of concern tighten his chest, but his worry was short-lived. Piper was soon back on her feet, glaring at Master Cyclonis with a determined look that rivaled his own._

_As Piper's eyes widened in shock, Aerrow turned to Cyclonis herself, just in time to see the crystal key float up into the empress' grasp._

"_At last!" Master Cyclonis seethed as her lanky fingers curled around the glowing key._

"_No!" Piper cried._

_At the buzzing sound of an activating crystal weapon, Aerrow turned back towards the Dark Ace to find the Talon commander's sword pointed at his chest._

"_Enough games." the Dark Ace snarled, his weapon's red light gleaming, "It's over."_

"_Leave him alone!" Aerrow heard Piper's angry voice shout from behind him._

_The sky knight gasped as a sudden surge of energy flew through him. He could feel a newfound strength running through his veins. This new power seemed to join with his very being. Glancing down at his hands, Aerrow realized that his whole body was glowing a bright blue, much like the Dark Ace had been moments before._

_Realization hit him. This was just like the power Cyclonis had been using to give the Dark Ace his superhuman strength and agility. _

_Grinning, Aerrow turned to face the Dark Ace._

Looking back, Aerrow realized that Piper had never really needed his protection. Though he had kept an eye on her and watched her back, Piper had always been able to fend for herself and hold her own. Really, he had been eluding himself into believing she had ever really needed his protection and watchful eye.

It had been a selfish illusion, his role as Piper's knight in shining armour. He was no more her shield then he was any of his other squadron mates. They all worked together to beat all odds and accomplish their goals. They were a team.

_Piper allowed the glowing blue bubble of energy to fade as the last stones crumbled to the ground. _

"_Aerrow, the key!" Piper said, exasperated, "Uh, I can't believe I lost it... to __**her**__." _

"_We'll get it back." Aerrow assured. _

"_How?" Piper questioned, unbelieving, "Didn't you see what happened in there? I can never fight against a power like that." her entire being seemed to droop in defeat. _

"_But you have it too." Aerrow said, stepping towards Piper and putting a comforting hand on her back, "I saw it! I __**felt**__ it. If you can learn to control it, we could have a fair fight. We can still stop them." _

"_I don't know Aerrow." Piper hung her head, her voice filled with uncertainty, "There's something else I felt with that power. Something dark ... very dark."_

Aerrow and Piper would work together to beat the Master Cyclonis, just as they always had. He would help her to hone her gift and she would lend him the power he needed to bring peace to the Atmos. Just like any good team, they needed each other to succeed: her power and his vessel.

Aerrow was no longer - nor had he ever been - Piper's saviour, but her _**partner**_. And he liked this role a lot better.

Careful, so not to wake the sleeping crystals specialist, the sky knight wrapped a protective arm around Piper's shoulders. They would figure out this unknown power _**together**_, evil or not. He would never let anything happen to her. Even if she didn't need his help, Aerrow knew he would always be close by, just in case - someday - she did.

Aerrow couldn't help but smile as Piper snuggled closer, burring her head into his chest. He took comfort in Piper's closeness, and the feeling that maybe she _**would**_ need a protector every now and then.

* * *

**To get some inspiration for this oneshot, I took a look back at some of the later episodes, and when I came to the part in epsiode 50 when Piper talks to Aerrow after knocking the Talons of their skimmers with her binding, I wondered why Aerrow looked so put down and spoke kind of awkwardly, and this is what came from my wondering.**

**Also, I'm planning on taking a break from writing fanfiction over the summer (after I've finished this collection, of course) and work on some non-fanfic related writing. This will most likely mean putting "Shattered" on hold. I do have plans for this fic, but I'm still not totally sure of the style/ structure I want to write it in and I really need to reread "Hide and Seek" before I start writing this fic. Right now, I can't find the motivation to write this fic, and I don't think that anyone wants to read it that badly.... so I think I'll put it off until the fall....**

**Anyway, this time, the next oneshot _is_ written, so if I get some reviews, I'll definately post it tomorrow!**

**Thanks for reading, and please review!  
**


	5. All Worth Trading

**A great big thank you to all my reviewers! I really appreciate your support and understanding. And don't worry too much, when I say "taking a break," I mean that I won't be working on any planned fanfiction (like multi-chapter fics and oneshot collections), but if inspiration hits me, you may see a few individual oneshots from me here and there.**

**As promised, here is the next oneshot. It's shorter then what I usually write, but it really isn't a very complicated or in-depth idea, so I didn't want to bog it down with unnecessary descriptions and such. It's short and sweet, and I kind of like the simplicity of it. But, you guys tell me what _you_ think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday.  
**

* * *

All Worth Trading

"_All that's made me is all worth trading_

_Just to spend one moment with you."_

Piper sat fuming on the small cot that was the only furnishing in the tiny room she inhabited. She let out an annoyed growl, fists shaking in anger. The Storm Hawks had not been in the Far Side for even a month, and where was she? Left to rot in the prison of a new and unknown enemy. She was furious with herself.

Piper rested her head in her hands, her fingers wrapped themselves around her midnight blue hair and she pulled the locks in frustration. How could she have been so stupid? So reckless? So headstrong? Maybe her fellow Storm Hawks were finally beginning to rub off on her...

The crystal mage's head shot up as the door creaked open and a very familiar red headed sky knight was shoved into the cell, the door slamming behind him.

"Aerrow!" Piper cried, running to him.

She felt guiltily pleased to have Aerrow there with her, and surprised herself when she flung herself - without thinking - into his arms, wrapping him in a warm embrace. Piper was even more surprised when Aerrow brought his lips to her's, kissing her soundly.

"They're letting you go, Piper." Aerrow told the wide eyed crystal mage as he pulled away, eyes sparkling and smile bright.

"H-how?" Piper stuttered, still shocked from Aerrow's loving gesture.

"An exchange." Aerrow said, glancing away, but Piper caught the flicker of sadness in his eyes.

"No..." Piper whispered in disbelief, taking a step back, "Aerrow, you _**didn't**_!"

"_**They**_ think it's a good deal." Aerrow explained, "They don't know about your binding powers yet."

"But, Aerrow–" Piper argued.

"No buts, Piper." Aerrow cut her off, gripping her shoulders firmly, features hard and serious, "You and your powers can't fall into the wrong hands."

The pair froze as the door creaked once again, emitting an armed prison guard. Gruffly, the man grabbed Piper by the arm and began to pull her towards the door.

"But the Storm Hawks need you!" Piper continued to protest, struggling against her captor.

She was able to free herself from the prison guard's hold, just as the cell door closed behind her with a resounding _clang_. Piper clasped her hands around the metal bars - the only barrier between herself and Aerrow.

"_**I **_need you." Piper whispered her confession, eyes welling with tears.

Aerrow gave her a sad smile, reaching a hand through the bars to gently whip away the few stray droplets that ran down her checks, "But the _**world**_ needs _**you**_, Piper."

"AERROW!" Piper cried as two guards dragged her - kicking and screaming - down the hall.

Aerrow stood quiet and still behind his confines, as he watched Piper and her escorts disappear behind a corner. A lone, silent tear slid gently down his face.

* * *

**Well, there it is! I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**My last two fics were more friendship then romance, so this was a bit of a turn back to a love relationship (sorry WhispertheWolf). And, of course, I can only go so long without putting characters through some sort of trama.... hey, at least I restrained myself from killing anyone this time! ;)**

**I'll try to have the next oneshot up by the end of the week, if not, then you guys will have to wait until the following weekend for an update, because I'm going out of town. I'm not totally happy about my idea for the next oneshot, so I may just go back and start from scratch... so send your inspirational vibes my way!  
**

**Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave your opinions/ ideas/ thoughts in a review!  
**


	6. Your Love Is Changing Me

**Hello everyone!**

**Wow! 30 reviews! That's my second highest review count yet! Thank you everyone for the support!**

**I hope you all enjoy this oneshot! I only got my inspiration for this yesterday, and i was only able to start writing it this evening. I worked _really_ hard to get this up before I left on my trip! So, if you find any grammer mistakes or stuff like that, please tell me and I'll fix it when I return (I kinda rushed to finish this).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday!  
**

* * *

Your Love is Changing Me

"_So I will let go all that I know,_

_Knowing that you're here with me._

_For your love is changing me."_

Aerrow stood alone on the Condor's balcony. Heaving a sigh, the sky knight ran a hand through his wild red hair. He had come out here with hopes that the cool breeze would clear his head. The wind ruffling his hair always reminded Aerrow of flying, and this usually soothed him... _usually_.

Aerrow could find no calm or comfort in the open air. His mind was buzzing with thoughts. It made him feel restless. The sky knight wanted so much to just jump on his skimmer and soar through the clouds, but that wasn't an option. The Storm Hawks had decided to lay low and keep their presence unknown in the Far Side, at least, until they could gather some information about this strange new world.

Aerrow had just wanted to dive in head first - as he always did - and chase Master Cyclonis wherever she lead them. But Piper had been quick to put in her voice of reason. They had no idea what kinds of dangers they would face, or what to expect. It was best to just scout out the area a bit and see if they could pick up on any of the cultures or creatures that inhabited this foreign land. And so, Aerrow had held back his ever present thirst for adventure and action, and agreed with Piper's rationality.

It was killing him.

Aerrow needed adrenaline pumping through his veins. Battles and daring feets kept his mind focussed on keeping himself alive. There was no room for troubling or confusing thoughts. These were the times when he could make decisions how he liked to: spur-of-the-moment. It was his one break from having to over-think and analysis every aspect of a problem before finding an answer.

It wasn't that Aerrow minded having to be thoughtful and thorough. He had agreed to be the one to make the big decisions when he accepted his role as leader of the Storm Hawks. He just didn't want to be stuck in his whirling thoughts all the time. No one did, not even Piper.

Aerrow sighed again, leaning against the railing to look out over the unfamiliar landscape. Being couped up on the Condor had given him not enough to do and too much time to think. And Aerrow had a massive supply of things to ponder. So much had happened in such a short time. The Atmos was free, the Dark Ace was gone, Master Cyclonis was on the run, Piper had a new power...

Piper.

Aerrow found his thoughts drifting back to the topic that had plagued him the most over his past few days of confinement. Piper had been at the forefront of his mind for a while now. He had been really worried about her when her binding power was slowly stealing her health, and had kept an extra close watch on her to make sure she didn't make herself any worse by using the binding in battle.

Then the final battle for Atmos had come, along with Aerrow and Piper's binding fight with Master Cyclonis and the Dark Ace. Aerrow still wasn't sure what exactly happened, and Cyclonis' mention of "perfect atunement" only made the sky knight even more confused.

Aerrow's thoughts of Piper brought a now familiar sensation, a light flicker in his chest. It felt like that time Junko had cooked dinner, and Aerrow's food had still been alive when he'd ingested it. Piper had been bringing this odd reaction to Aerrow for many weeks now, and it only got worse and worse as time went on. Lately, it had been so bad, that Aerrow had begun to trip over his words, and occasionally his feet. He knew his odd behaviour was getting questioning looks from his fellow squadron mates. They all probably thought he'd finally lost it (Stork would blame mindworms, and rest would blame Stork's antics).

Aerrow had done his best to hide his new clumsiness, but he knew that to truly get rid of this hindrance, he had to get to the root of the problem. These past few days had given him a lot of time to do so, and Aerrow now found himself facing a startling conclusion.

Aerrow always knew he cared deeply for Piper. Aside from Radarr, she was his best and dearest friend. Aerrow couldn't even fathom his life without Piper, and had never even attempted to, because he had assumed she would always be there. But recent events had shattered Aerrow's ideas of how his life could be. He now realized - more than ever - how fragile life was, and he would never again take for granted the time he had with any member of his squadron.

In the past few weeks, Aerrow had been truly _**scared**_. Not because of the Cyclonian invasion. Not because all hope for Atmos' freedom had seemed to fade with every sky knight that had fallen into Master Cyclonis' crystal prison. Not because he now found himself and his friends alone in an unknown place. But because he thought, for the first time in his life, that he might lose Piper.

Seeing her greenish skin and sunken eyes had torn Aerrow's heart out. Piper would never admit it, but they all knew that the binding had been slowly killing her. And now, even with Piper healed and back to her old self, Aerrow still worried. The images of the Dark Ace's last moments still flashed before his eyes. He could still hear the Talon commander's cries for more power, and Master Cyclonis' decree that she could bind anything to her will. They had become slaves to the binding, wanting nothing but to fill their undying hunger for ultimate power. Aerrow's worse fear was that this would happen to himself and Piper. Would he become so thirsty of crystal energy that he would drink to the point of breaking? Would she become so obsessed with perfecting her technique that she would risk anything to prove her true abilities and worth?

Though the thought sent shivers down his spin, Aerrow knew that this would never happen to them. He and Piper shared a bond far stronger then any stone. If one of them began to fall, he was certain that the other would be there with a steadying hand. They were true and faithful partners. They would help one another to reach their goals, and they would do it _**together**_.

It was the bond the he and Piper shared that Aerrow had really been analysing. He had soon discovered that it ran much deeper then he could ever have imagined, and that his feelings for Piper ran deeper still. Deeper then friends. Deeper the siblings.

These revelations had scared Aerrow at first. Did he truly feel this way about his longtime friend? Was he just over thinking things? Was he mistaking his feelings for something entirely different?

But the more he thought, the more Aerrow knew that his first instincts had been correct - as they always were. He _**loved**_ Piper. It had felt so awkward and weird, the first time Aerrow had allowed himself to say the words in his head. But the more the thought ran through his mind, the more right it felt.

But the hardest part was still to come.

Aerrow knew, deep down, that if he wanted to ever feel comfortable around Piper again and not look like a total doofus in front of his friends, he would have to tell Piper how he felt. Even if Piper didn't return his feelings, at least they would eventually be able to clear the very thick air that Aerrow felt between them. At least, he hoped they would.

And so, here he was. Standing on the balcony of the Condor, hoping that the fresh air would clear his head enough so that he could think of how to properly tell Piper that she meant everything to him....

This was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever done.

* * *

The Storm Hawks stood on the bridge of the Condor, watching there downtrodden leader through the large windows.

"Man, Aerrow's not looking so good." Finn commented, turning to Piper, "You sure you didn't give him that weird crystal-illness thing you had."

"_**No**_, Finn." Piper's brows creased in annoyance, "It wasn't contagious."

"You never know." Stork's eyes got a far-off, wistful gleam, "Maybe he'll just slowly wither away to nothing. Nothing left but his fleshless bones..."

Piper, Finn and Radarr sent Stork looks that seemed to question his sanity, put Junko's eyes welled with tears.

"Aerrow's going to _**die**_!" Junko sobbed, "B-but, he can't _**die**_!"

"_**No one**_, is going to die, Junko." Piper assured, sending a death-glare in Stork's direction, "Aerrow's probably just feeling a little down. We all are, not having caught Cyclonis yet or even knowing where she is."

"I wonder who's fault _**that**_ is." Finn whispered sarcastically.

"Finn, I already _**told**_ you! We can't just go gallivanting around the Far Side!" Piper began her and Finn's familiar argument, "We need _**information**_, to know what we're up against--!"

"I still think Aerrow's caught some new and unknown disease from standing out in that Far Side air for too long...." Stork mumbled, mostly to himself, ignoring Finn and Piper's bickering.

"Maybe someone should go talk to him?" Junko suggested, having heard Stork's comment.

Radarr chirped in agreement.

"I think Piper should go..." Junko continued thoughtfully.

"Go where?" Piper asked, having finally stopped yelling at Finn about his ever-present stupidity and impudence, after hearing mention of her name.

"Go to talk to Aerrow." Junko replied, pointing a large thumb over his shoulder, in the sky knight's direction.

"Uh, I don't know, Junko." Piper sounded unsure.

"Why not?" Finn asked, "You're the best with this talking-stuff."

"But Aerrow's been so distant from me lately..." Piper glanced sadly towards the red head's back.

"Ah, come on, Piper." Finn starting pushing the protesting crystal mage towards the balcony door, "You're the best man for the job!"

"Best _**man**_?" Piper eyes filled with annoyance.

"Girl, dude, dudette... whatever you prefer." Finn rolled his eyes, then gave Piper one final shove and she stumbled out onto the balcony.

"So, what do you think is wrong with Aerrow?" Junko asked as the four remaining Storm Hawks watched the pair chatting outside.

"I'm telling you, it's mindworms!" Stork said, exasperated, "Why else would he be acting so strange? The tripping and lose for words, that's not Aerrow at _**all**_."

Radarr jumped up and down, waving his arms to get the others' attention.

"You know why Aerrow's been acting weird?" Junko asked the little blue creature.

Radarr nodded vigorously. Then, he began to bat his eyelashes and pucker his lips.

"Aerrow's got something in his eye?" Finn guessed.

"Oh! He's got peanut butter stuck on the top of his mouth!" Junko offered, "I know that bothers _**me**_!"

Radarr hit his head off wall in frustration.

"He has a headache?" Finn asked skeptically.

Stork rolled his eyes at the stupidity of his fellow squadron mates, "He's imitating a _**girl**_, you knuckleheads!"

"Then why's Radarr hitting his head off the wall..." Junko looked confused.

Radarr just shock his head in disbelief. Turning back to the window, the little blue creature pointed frantically towards the couple before them.

"A girl..." Finn said thoughtfully, "Aerrow being distracted by a girl is a good reason for all the clumsiness..."

Radarr nodded, expectantly.

"But, there's a little problem, Radarr." Finn continued, "There's no girls around here."

Radarr stared at Finn dumbfounded. Then, in total desperation, he jumped onto Finn's shoulders, and turned the sharpshooter's head to look directly at Piper.

At that very moment, Aerrow leaned closer to Piper, brushing his lips against hers.

Stork, Finn and Junko's mouths dropped to the floor.

"Dude." was the only response Finn could muster.

Junko's cheeks flushed red and the wallop quickly turned away, feeling very embarrassed to be gawking at the kissing couple.

"Well, that explains a lot." Stork mumbled, but looked a bit disappointed that Aerrow's plight had nothing to do with some sudden doom.

Radarr covered his eyes with his ears, but still peeked out through the small gapes, a knowing smile gracing his little face.

* * *

**Well, I hope you all like it!**

**The ending of this fic was along the lines of what I'd originally planned, but i felt it needed a lead in. So, I just put myself inside Aerrrow's head and wrote! I hope Aerrow's in character. I tried really hard to get the thoughts to sound very Aerrow.... tell me what you think!**

**Only one more oneshot left in this collection :( I'll write it while i'm away, and post it when i return! Right now, I _really_ need to go to bed! (It's 2:30am and i need to get up in 5 hours to leave!) **

**Enjoy, and feel free to leave a review!  
**


	7. May I Hold You

**Hello everyone!**

**First of all, I'm _SO_ sorry it took me so long to post this final oneshot! I didn't have time to write while I was away, and I was very busy the week after I got back. When I finally sat down and wrote this a few days ago, I wasn't pleased with it at all. I kept revising and reworking it, but I don't think this is my best work of the collection (I apologize to Midnight-Rose-Dew in advance, I know you asked for my best one yet, and I don't think I've delivered... sorry).**

**Secondly, thank you_ everyone_ for the reviews! Eleven reviews for one chapter! I think it's a record for me :D An extra BIG thank you goes out to Midnight-Rose-Dew, WhispertheWolf and Gatomon Fan 7, who reviewed every single oneshot in this collection! Also, thanks to jenergy, Doilan and BlueDragon123, who were all steady reviewers of this collection. And thanks to all my other reviewers as well: Abysilityy, Socksycherry, vera, angel162446, ellebaybee, FamousFi, DragonessTiger, Cowgirls Angel Rita, I-ink, Demon Piper and RubyGloomRocks! (hope I didn't miss anyone!) You guys give me the motivation to keep writing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks nor the song "May I" by Trading Yesterday.  
**

* * *

May I Hold You

"_May I hold you as you fall to sleep._

_When the world is closing in and you can't breathe,_

_May I love you._

_May I be your shield._

_When no one can be found, may I lay you down."_

From his chair beside the bed, Aerrow gazed lovingly towards his slumbering wife. A small smile graced Piper's lips, assuring the sky knight that her dreams were peaceful. Aerrow was content to watch his wife sleep, smiling to himself at how angelic she looked, wrapped in the protective folds of many layers of blankets. He had full intentions of letting Piper's slumber continue. After all, she'd had a long day.

A gurgling noise brought the sky knight's attention back to the bundle he held cradled in his arms. Just visible beneath the pink cloth enfolding her lay his newborn baby daughter. A few little locks, like slick threads, sprouted from the infant's pearl smooth crown. She had the same midnight blue hair as her mother. Her skin, red tinted and wrinkled, appeared to be too big for her little bones and muscles. Aerrow's eyes twinkled with laughter as he remembered Finn commenting on how the baby resembled a prune and how Piper had glared at the sharpshooter in the same irritated way she'd done when they were younger. Aerrow knew that it didn't matter what his little girl looked like, she would always be beautiful in his eyes.

The baby made another little gurgle and shifted restlessly in the confines of her blanket. Aerrow began to rock the little girl in his arms to lull her back into her quiet snooze. A tiny hand reached out and grabbed hold of his shirt. The sky knight smiled, amazed at how strong the little hand grasped the fabric. How could something so small hold so much life, and so much of his heart?

Aerrow knew - probably to Piper's future dismay - that he would spoil this little girl rotten. She had only been in this world for a few hours, and already she had him wrapped around her teensy little finger.

Even after this short time, his daughter was his whole life, his everything. Aerrow knew he would do anything to make her happy and keep her safe - just like he had and would always do for Piper. His whole existence would be nothing without these two very special ladies.

As he memorised every feature on his daughter's innocent face, Aerrow made himself a promise - right then and there - that he would protect his little girl was all the evils of the world. He would kiss away her tears, brought on by scrapes and bruises, or broken hearts, or life's harsh realities. He would always encourage, no matter what dreams or paths she chose to follow. He would be there to soar with her as she flew and catch her when she fell. He would hug her and kiss her and tell her how much he loved her everyday, so she would never question how much she meant to him.

But, most importantly, he would be _**there**_.

Aerrow was determined that his daughter would not end up like himself and Piper; young and alone, with no parents to run to or lean on. Aerrow knew that he being an orphan was not his parents' fault - war was cruel and unfair - but it hadn't made life any easier or reality any less harsh. Aerrow didn't want his daughter to experience the great pain he'd felt when he lost his parents. Like a bottomless pit, the emptiness that lose had left in his heart was unfillable. Aerrow wouldn't wish the terrors of his childhood on his most vicious enemy. No child should know the feeling of waking up cold and hungry, having the horrors they'd seen in reality played out repeatedly in their dreams, and not having any big, warm, protective arms to run to for comfort and reassurance. Sure, Aerrow had good memories from his childhood, and he had always had his friends by his side, but it just wasn't the same, having to look out for themselves. They had all grown up far too quickly.

So Aerrow made himself another promise. He would cease his daredevil stunts and unnecessary risks. He could never stop being a sky knight, but he _**could**_ make sure he always returned home.

The baby in Aerrow's arms moaned as she began to wake. He caught a glimpse of the stunningly blue eyes that hid under his daughter's droopy lids. The endless blue of the little orbs reminded Aerrow of the sky he had always loved so dearly. Piper was sure their daughter's eyes would turn into his emerald green, but Aerrow wouldn't mind at all if they changed to the same sparkling gold as her mother's, always big and filled with emotion.

The little girl scrunched her eyes against the unfamiliar lights, her features showed irritation as another light moan escaped her lips.

Aerrow chuckled softly, "You're just as cranky as your mother in the morning."

"I heard that." Aerrow looked up to see Piper smirking as she pushed herself up from her pillow.

Smiling happily, Aerrow placed the baby in Piper's arms and joined his wife on the bed. Piper leaned against Aerrow's sturdy chest as he wrapped an arm around her.

"You think we're ready for this?" Piper asked, grazing a gentle finger along the soft skin of her baby's tiny cheeks.

"Well, I don't think we could ever be _**truly**_ ready." Aerrow answered, thoughtfully, "But, yeah, I think we'll be ok."

"This is the start of a whole new chapter in our lives." Piper philosophized, smiling up at her husband.

"Well, lets make it a good one." Aerrow said, eyes twinkling merrily as he gave Piper a quick peck on the lips.

Together, they gazed lovingly at their little miracle, both knowing that they had never been more happy in all their lives.

* * *

**Well, there you have it, the final oneshot of this collection!**

**The idea for this oneshot was one of the first to come to me when I listened to this song. If you listen to the song, it goes all soft and gentle at the start of the final chorus, and the image of Aerrow holding a little baby just came to me.**

**I know some of you will wonder why I didn't give the little girl a name. The main reason is that I'm not very good at making up names, and it really wasn't overly important. Also, some of you may be wondering how old Aerrow and Piper are in this fic, and really, I'm not quiet sure.... I put in the thing about Piper giving Finn the look she did when they were younger to give you readers a sense that this is farther into the future, but for you who need numbers, lets say they're in their 20s...**

**I must say, after writing these oneshots, I think Aerrow is definately my favorite Storm Hawks character to write. I think it's because he has the most depth of all the characters on the show (ie. he is very outgoing and optimistic, but can also be serious and tactical). Aerrow has lots of different sides, and it's fun to explore them.**

**This is probably the last bit of writing you'll see from me for a month or so. I'm taking a break to do some personal writing. But you never know, I may get some inspiration, so keep an eye out! If not, I'm hoping to be back in the fall with "Shattered". It's going to be a challenging write because I'm planning on writing from the perspectives of each Storm Hawk, and I'll be focusing on characters I'm not the most comfortable with... but I like a good challenge, and I'm sure it'll improve my writing skills!**

**If you're still reading this, I apologize for the rambling. I hope you enjoyed this oneshot collection as much as I did writing it!**

**Please feel free to review and leave your comments and/or complaints!  
**


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